Well point



May 20, 1958 G. A. THOMPSON 2,835,328

WELL POINT Filed Dec. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FVG. 3,

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May 20, 1958 G. A. THoMPsoN 2,835,328

WELL POINT Filed Dec. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fgg JNVENTOR. G50/@GE ,4. THON/PSOM WELL POINT George A. Thompson, Daytona Beach, Fla. Application December 10, 1954, Serial No. 474,324

2 Claims. (Cl. 166157) This invention relates to an improved well point of a type employed to dewater subsurface excavations.

Well points of the type to which this invention relates are exemplified in United States Patents 1,915,136, issued .lune 20, 1933; 2,027,398, issued January 14, 1936; and 2,388,640, issued November 6, 1945, which patents give excellent disclosures of the manner in which my improved well point is used.

The primary object of this invention is to facilitate the rapid extraction of Water from subsurface formations and to facilitate a maximum extraction of the water therefrom.

Another object is to facilitate the'rapid exchange of a worn screen for a new screen.

A still further Objectis to preserve the proper spacing of the screen with the tube through which the water is extracted, and to effect a sand-tight joint between the screen and the tube.

1 The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a tube of rectangular cross section having external States Patent interrupted screw threads on its corners adjacent one i.,

end, an internally screw threaded coupling socket xed to the tube and extending longitudinally from the end thereof remote from the threads, an annular flange carried by the socket 'and extending therefrom toward the threaded end of the tube in spaced relation to the tube, a tubular screen encircling the tube and extending into the space between the tube and the flange, an earth penetrating tip threadedly engaged with the tube for engaging the screen and removably holding it in place on the tube, said tip having a liquid discharge chamber therein which establishes communication between the interior of the screen and the interior of the tube.

Other` features include spacer rods carried by the tube and extending outwardly therefrom between opposite side edges of the side walls thereof for engaging the screen and preventing its collapse under external pressure, with opposite ends of the spacer rods diverging from the tube as they approach the ends thereof for yieldingly engaging the screen and assuring sand-tight connection with the socket and the tip.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side View of a well point embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the upper end of the well point taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the well point illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the well point illustrated in Figure 3 Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 3 g and Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 7 7 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the illustrated well point comprises a rectangular cross section imperforate tube 10 having at its lower end interrupted external screw threads l2. An internally screw threaded socket 14, larger in diameter than the tube lil, is welded or otherwise secured to the tube it) and projects longitudinally from its upper end; on the lower end of the socket and depending therefrom toward the threaded end of the tube 1t) is an annular ange 16 dening between the tube 10 and the inner wall of said flange an annular recess 18, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Welded at longitudinally spaced points to the flat sides of the tube 1b midway between the edges of the flat sides as at 20 are longitudinally extending laterally outwardly projecting spacer rods Z2. The opposite ends of the spacer rods 22 are unsecured to the tubev 10 and are sprung outwardly as at 24 for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.

Rearwardly circumposed on the tube it) and frictionally engaged by the outwardly sprung ends 24 of the spacer rods 22 is a perforated cylindrical sleeve 26. The sleeve 26 comprises an outer tube 28 having relatively large perforations 30 in its wall, and an inner cylindrical screen tube 32, preferably formed of woven wire, and secured to the inner surface of the tube 28.

Threadedly engaged with the interrupted threads 12 on the lower end of the tube 10 is an earth penetrating tip designated generally 34 which comprises the tubular body 36 having internal screw threads at its upper end engaging the threads 12 of the tube 1t). On the upper end of the body 36 and in spaced relation to the tube 1i) is an annular flange 3S defining an annular chamber 4b, having a stop shoulder 42 at its lower end, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Extending transversely across the tubular body 36 at a point intermediate the ends thereof is a partition 44 having a central opening 46. Extending across the interior of the body 36 and spaced below the partition 44 is a cross pin 48 dening a stop against which a iioat ball valve 50 rests during the projection of liquid through the well point. The lower end of the body 36 tapers inwardly as at 52 and carried by the tapered portion 52 and extending downwardly therefrom are circumferentially and transversely spaced teeth 54. Equidistantly spaced laterally outwardly ex tending ribs 56 are carried by the body 36 and extend longitudinally along the tapered portion S2 to define earth cutting blades. Carried by and extending between the ribs 56 on opposite sides of the body 36 are vertical soil pulverizing webs Es' which aid in breaking up the soil during the sinking of the well point into the earth.

In use, the -well point is assembled by placing the screen 26 over the tube lil with the ends 24 of the rods 22 engaging the screen adjacent opposite ends. One end of the screen is introduced into the space 18 and against the socket 14 with the adjacent ends 24 of the spacer rods 22 bearing against the screen to hold `it tightly against the flange 16. The tip 34 is then threaded into the threads i2 of the tube 10 until the adjacent end ofthe screen 26 is engaged by the shoulder 4:2. In this position, the adjacent resilient ends 24 of the spacer rods 22 will engage the screen and hold it tightly against the flange 3S to effect a sand-tight junction between the screen 26 and the tip 34. With the parts thus assembled, the well point may be sunk into the earth by forcing water under pressure through the tube 1t) past the valve 50 so that it issues as a jet from between the teeth 54 of the tip 34 to penetrate loose soil and permit the well point forced into the earth. Having sunk the well point to a selected level, water may be extracted from the :assenze surrounding vearth by connecting suction to the socket 14 of the well point so that water will be drawn through the screen 26 and thence downwardly between the flat sides of the rectangular tube 10 and the tip 36, it being understood that when the pressure is discontinued within the tube 10, the valve 50 will iloat into closing relation to the opening 46. Thus, when suction is applied to the tube 10, water is drawn into the liquid discharge chamber C defined between the partition wall 44 and the lower end of the tube 10 and removed therefrom through the tube 10 to the surface. It is to be noted that the rods 22 terminate short ot the lower end of the tube 16 in order to avoid any possibility of obstructing the passage of water between the walls of the tube 10 and the tip 34.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that a large volume of water may be removed from the surrounding soil in but a minimum of time, owing to the fact that there is no obstruction to the flow of water through the screen and into the liquid discharge chamber C.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a well point, an impcrforate tubehaving upper and lower ends and having flat outer sides and corners between the flat sides, said flat sides extending lengthwise of the imperforate tube andthe said lower end, a socket secured on the upper end of said tube, said socket having a lower end acting as an upper stop shoulder, an annular flange depending from 'the lower end of the socket and conccntrically spaced from the imperforate tube, the corners at the lower end of the imperforate tube having screw threads thereon, a tip comprising a cylindrical tubular body having upper and lower ends, screw threads in the upper end of the tip body engaged on the screw threads on the lower end of the imperforate tube, the flat sides of the imperforate tube at the lower end thereof being spaced from the interior of the tip body, an `upstanding annular iiange rising from the upperend of the tip body and concentrically spaced from the imperforate tube, the upper end of the tip body acting as a lower stop shoulder, a valve seat across the interior of the tip body below the impertorate tube, a ball valve supported in said tip body below and engageable at times with said seat, a cylindrical sleeve circumposed on said r imperforate tube between said socket and said tip, the fiat sides of the imperforate tube being spaced from the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having an upper end engaged with said upper stop shoulder within the depending socket ange and a lower end engaged with said lower stop shoulder within the upstanding flange on the tip,'said sleeve comprising an outer tube having perforations in the wall thereof, and an inner mesh screen tube secured to the interior of said outer tube.

2. In a well point, an imperfcrate tube having upper and lower ends and having fiat outer sides and corners between the flat sides, said iiat sides extending lengthwise of the imperforate tube and the said lower end, a socket secured on the upper end of said tube, said socket having a lower end acting as an upper stop shoulder, an annular iiange depending from the lower end of the socket and concentrically spaced from the imperforate tube, the corners at the lower end of the imperforate tube having screw threads thereon, a tip comprising a cylindrical tubular body having upper and lower ends, screw threads in the upper end of the tip body engaged on the screw threads on the lower end of the imperforate tube, the flat sides of the imperforate tube the lower end thereof being spaced from the interior of the tip body, an upstanding annular ange rising from the upper end of the tip body and concentrically spaced from the imperforate tube, the upper end of the tip body acting as a lower stop shoulder, a valve seat across the inerior of the tip body below the imperforate tube, a ball valve supported in said tip body below and engageable at times with said seat, a cylindrical sleeve circumposed on said imperforate tube between said socket and said tip, the fiat sides of the imperforate tube being spaced from the interior of said sleeve, said sleeve having an upper end engaged with said upper stop shoulder within the depending socket ange and a lower end engaged with said lower stop shoulder Within the upstanding flange on the tip, said sleeve comprising an outer tube having perfora* tions in the wall thereof, and an inner mesh screen tube secured to the interior of said outer tube, and longitudinal spacer rods secured to the liat sides of the imperforate tube in the spaces between the flat sides and the interior of said mesh'screen tube, said rods being smailer in cross 'section than said spaces, said spacer rods having free upper and lower end portions unsecured to the said at sides of the imperforate tube, said free end portions being sprung laterally outwardly away from the relative at sides and against the interior of said sleeve and press the upper and lower ends of the sleeve outwardly against the iianges of the socket and tip.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,136 Share c June 20, 1933 2,027,398 Moore Jan. 14, 1936 2,100,145 Moore Nov. 23, 1937 2,388,640 Moore 2, Nov. 6, 1945 2,640,545 Share June 2, 1953 

